Folding table and seat structure for picnic tables and the like



R. M. SELLER 2,748,837 FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT STRUCTURE F'OR PICNICTABLES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 5, 1956 Filed May 23, 1955June 5, 1956 Filed May 25, 1955 R. M. BEI-LER FOLDING TABLE AND SEATSTRUCTURE FOR PICNIC TABLES AND THE LIKE .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent FOLDING TABLE AND SEAT STRUCTURE FOR PICNIC TABLES AND THE LIKERay M. Beller, Aurora, Ill., assignor to Eelson Mannino turing Company,North Aurora, Ill., a partnership consisting of Harry W. Bellet andFrank W. Belier Application May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,368

12 Claims. (Cl. 15S- 124) This invention relates to folding table andseat structure, more particularly for picnic tables and the like, andaims to provide an efiicient and economical structure of this class.

Heretofore, structures of this class have been either entirely of wood,which is cumbersome an-d expensive, or if of part metal have had suchmetal parts formed largely of tubular stock which again is cumbersomeand expensive.

The present invention provides for the rst time a device which may beconstructed of relatively inexpensive bar stock, preferably wroughtir-on, of a diameter substantially less than tube stock, and which, atthe same time, as here disclosed, is so arranged as to provide enhancedstrength and security of the parts when in operative position, togetherwith ease and rapidity of disposi tion of the parts in so-calledknock-down state for convenient transportation or storage. Thesedesirable objects are here obtained with an economy of Weight and costof manufacture, making the structure saleable at a reduced price to anenhanced number of potential users.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, ofan illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a folding table and seatstructure embodying the present invention, an alternative position ofparts being sh-own in broken lines;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a perspective View looking at the underside of thestructure;

`Figure 4 is a View showing the parts folded for transportation orstorage;

`Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional View taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. l;

Figure 6 is a similar view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure l; and

Figure 8 is a detail View of parts shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, showing an illustrative embodimentof the invention, the numeral 11 indicates in general the folding tableand seat structure suitable for picnic tables and the like, having atable member 12, that may be of a length of say from six to ten feet orthereabouts, and seat members 13 extending on each side, parallel withand substantially coterminous with the table member 12. F or convenienceof manufacture the table member 12 may be made up of a number ofparallel and coplanar planks 12a, 12b, and 12C which are held togetherby an angle iron 14 on the underface of the table 12., one at each endthereof, to which the planks are secured as by screws 1S passing throughthe horizontal web 14a of the angle iron 14 and into the plank (Fig. 5).In this instance, on the inner face of the angle member 14 is carried,as by being Welded 2,748,837 Patented June 5, 1956 thereto as at 16, asleeve piece 17, one at each end of the angle member, which serve ashinge sleeves for the inwardly turned horizontal extremities 18 of theupper ends 19 of leg elements which, as next described, are part of agenerally U-shaped leg mem-ber 2).

In accordance with the present invention and in the present embodiment,a leg member 2? is made up of two somewhat L-shaped bars 21, theportions 19 already referred to being the upper ends of the members 21and the latter are joined together by a pipe coupling 22 that receives,as a hinge sleeve, the contiguous ends 23 (iFig. 2) of the L-shapedmembers 2l. The ends 23 are desirably inwardly and upwardly offset as at24 from the lower reaches 25 of the L-shaped members 21 to permit thecoupling 22 to function freely as a hinge for a purpose presentlydescribed.

lt will be seen that the two members 21, having parts 13, 19, 23, 24 and25 and joined by the coupling 22 provide the somewhat U-shaped legmember 2i? for the table, there being one such leg member at each end ofthe table for supporting the latter, and that each leg member has itsbight portion, made up of the parts 25 and their con necting elementssomewhat widened and flattened so as to enhance the stability of thestructure.

For supporting the seats 13 each leg member 2d carries an invertedsomewhat triangular member 26 which has the lower ends 26a or invertedapex of its converging sides 27 secured as by welding to the offsets 24of the leg member respectively and has its upraised base portion 2dwidened intermedially of the leg member 2i) to extend therebeyond a-s at23a at each side. The seat supporting member 26 is rigid with the legmember sides 2i and for this purpose may be Welded thereto as at 29 and3i) where the seat support parts 27' and 28 intersect the leg memberpar-ts 21 respectively. The seat support member-s 26 therefore havetriangular shape corners which extend beyond t'he uprights of the legmembers at each side of the table in cantilever fashion and upon whichthe seats 13 rest, the latter also advantageously being in the form of aplank of desirably somewhat greater thickness than the planks of thetable. The seats 13 are laterally oiset from the longitudinal side edges31 of the table 12, the inner edge of the seat being substantiallyvertically aligned with the edge of the table, so that people occupyingthe seats, ranged along each side of the table, with their feet underthe table for example, are conveniently located with respect to thelatter, as in bench style.

Suitable means are provided for locking the seat to the extensions ofthe seat support members, such means being here illustrated in the formof clips 32 on the underface of the seats which engage the bars of theseat support member portions 2da snugly but releasably. As best seen inFig. 6, each clip 32 has an attaching part 33, that is fastened as byscrews 34 to the nnderface of the seat members 13, and a downwardlyoffset lip 35 between which and the seat member the bar of the seatsupport member enters, when the legs of the table are upright in tablesupporting position, the distance between a pair of such clips at oneend of the seat and another pair at the other end of the seat being suchthat the clips engage the legs at that time.

To hold the legs in such upright position, the structure is providedwith a brace rod 3o for each leg, the brace rod having a detachableconnection with the table and also having a hinge connection with theleg member. Such hinge connection is here provided by the pipe coupling22 which has a transverse portion 37 that is tapped as at 38 (Fig. 8) toreceive the threaded lower end 39 of the brace rod 36 which is screwedinto the socket thus provided.

At its other or opposite end the brace rod 36 has a horizontally turnedextremity 40 (Fig. 7), which, when the rod is in leg bracing position,is passed through an aperture 41 in a lug bracket 42, that is secured asby a screw 42a to the underface of the table 12, in this instancetransversely centrally thereof as to the plank 12b of the table, andspaced inwardly of the ends of the table from either leg member. Ifdesired, the rod end 40 may carry a removable cotter or locking pin 43to secure the relationship until it be desired to detach the brace rodfrom the bracket lug d2 for purposes of folding the structure.

When now it is desired to feld the structure into the compact form shownin Fig. 4, the cotter pin 43, if present, is removed and the end 40 ofthe brace rod 36 may then be sprung out of the lug 42. Next, the seats13, upon slight movement of the legs toward each other, may be removedfrom the seat support members, whereupon the legs may be swung towardthe table on their hinges 17-18 (Fig. 5) as indicated in broken lines inFig. l. At the same time, the coupling 22 may be rotated with respect tothe leg members so as to extend the brace rod 36 into the plane of andas a projection of the leg members and into close proximity with thetable 12. If the table, as in this instance, is of such length that thebrace rods overlap in this position, the latter may be sprung slightlyto one side of each other to minimize the space occupied thereby asindicated in Fig. 4. The seats 13 may then be placed on top of the table12, and, if desired, the parts may be roped or otherwise secured in thisposition.

The material of the legs 20, including the seat support members 26, maybe advantageously of one-half inch diameter wrought iron bar stock whichis relatively inexpensive, while, at the same time, the arrangement ofthe legs and seat support members is such that these parts mutuallyreinforce each other and having a relatively high degree of strength andstability in proportion to their size and weight.

The angle which the parts 21 make with the vertical in their positioninclined toward each other is desirably of the order of about 20, andthe return bend angle of the seat supporting members 26, between itsparts 27-28, is of the order of about 30.

The generally U-shape for the legs permits the brace rod to be extendedto the bight thereof, thus providing enhanced stability.

By means of the threaded connection 38-39 the effective length of `thebrace rod 36 may be varied as by extending or retracting the rod in thesocket 37, or the brace rod may be removed entirely from the socket ifdesired.

The leg parts 2l are advantageously held in the pipe coupling 22 and inthe hinge sleeves 17 by the seat support member 26 where it is welded tothe leg member parts 21, thus providing an easily assembled structure.

So constructed and arranged there is here provided a relativelylight-weight and inexpensive but sturdy and compact structure of thistype which may be readily assembled and disassembled and which occupiesa minimum of space for transportation or storage.

The invention is not intended to be limited to details of constructionshown for purposes of illustration and such changes may be made as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from theinvention.

What is here claimed is:

l. In a folding structure of the class described, a table member, a pairof generally U-shape leg members of metallic bar stock, each leg memberhaving its bight portion somewhat widened and attened, a pair of seatmembers, an inverted generally triangular member also of bar stockcarried by each of said leg members and having its sides secured to thebight portion of the leg member and having its inverted base portionwidened intermedially of the height of the leg member to extendlaterally beyond the leg member for providing horizontal support for theseats, a brace rod extending from the bight of a leg member to thetable, the brace rod being hingedly connected to the leg member betweenthe ends of the seat support member, and releasable means connectingeach brace rod to the table.

2. The structure of claim l wherein the leg member has the extremitiesof its legs turned horizontally and the table on its underface includesa transverse support for sleeve parts receiving the leg extremitiesrespectively.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the brace rod is threadedly securedto the leg member for extensible and retractable adjustment.

4. The structure of claim l wherein the leg member includes a pluralityof somewhat L-shape bars joined intermedially of the bight of the legmember by a pipe coupling member rotatably receiving the leg member barsand said brace rod is secured to said pipe coupling member.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the pipe coupling member is ofT-shape and the transverse portion thereof is tapped to receive athreaded end of the brace rod.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein the L.shape bars are inwardly osetat their ends joined by said pipe coupling and the sides of the seatsupport member are welded to said offsets respectively and the seatsupport member is welded to the L-shape leg bars where the partsintersect.

7. In a folding structure of the class described, a table member, a pairof generally U-shape leg members, each legs member having its leg upperextremities hinged to the table and having its bight portion somewhatflattened, a seat support member carried by each of said leg members andextending laterally beyond the leg member to provide horizontal supportsfor the seats, seats supported by said horizontal supports, andrcleasable means for maintaining the leg members upright.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein there are clips on the underface ofthe seats which engage the seat support members.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein a brace rod is hinged to the bightof a leg member and has relcasablc engagement with the table.

l0. In a folding structure of the class described, a generally U-shapeleg member of metallic bar stock having its leg upper extremitiesconverging and adapted to be hinged to a table and having its bightportion somewhat widened and attened, a seat support member carried bythe leg member, said seat support member being also ot bar stock and inthe form of an inverted triangle having its apex secured to the legbight and its inverted base intersecting the leg member legs andextending laterally therebeyond to provide a horizontal support for theseats, and a brace rod hinged to said leg member bight adjacent thcinverted apex of the seat support member.

1l. In a folding structure of the class described, a generally U-shapeleg member of metallic bar stock having its leg upper extremitiesconverging and adapted to be hinged to a table and having its bightportion somewhat widened and flattened, a seat support member carried bythe leg member, said seat support member being also of bar stock andintersecting the leg member legs and cxtending laterally therebeyond toprovide a horizontal support for the seats, and a brace rod hinged tosaid leg member bight.

l2. In a structure of the class described, a generally U-shape legmember having its leg upper extremities turned horizontally forattachment to a table and having its bight portion attened, a seatsupport member carried by said leg member and extending laterally beyondthe leg member to provide horizontal supports for the seats, said seatsupport member comprising a return bent element engaging each leg of thelcg member at spaced apart places thereon, a brace rod hinged to thebight of the leg member.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Tabb Aug. 27, 1940Everts Aug. 27, 1929 5 Giberson Jan. 9, 1951 6 FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBritain 1891 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1920 Italy Oct. 22, 1935 France Apr.15, 1941

